Light in the Dark
by Dark Creed
Summary: The Hunter-Gratzner crashes in a dangerous planet. Now the remaining survivors will have to worry about something more than just the infamous convict Riddick. What happens when they find an ally within all the chaos and darkness? Has Riddick finally found someone compatible and just as deadly?
1. M6-117

**I, Dark Creek own Valerie, Eric, and Assiel my characters as they were born from the depths of my imagination as to all Pitch Black, Dark Fury, and The Chronicles of Riddick characters belong to the genius of David Twohy  
The scene I used for the Lab and Assiel is a scene that I borrowed from the ending of Resident Evil, when Alice wakes up and finds herself on the examination table. I thought it would be a perfect scene for Riddick's first encounter with his other half.  
For those that have already read the stories I have decided to change Elysium's name to Assiel.**

**Regards,  
Dark Creed**

* * *

_They say most of your brain shuts down in cryosleep...  
All but the primitive side...  
...The animal side.  
No wonder I'm still awake.  
Transporting me with civilians; sounded like forty; Forty plus.  
Heard an Arab voice; some hoodoo holy man.  
Probably on his way to New Mecca, but what route...?  
What route?  
Smelled a woman.  
Sweat, boots, tool belt, leather.  
Prospector type, free settlers, and they only take the back roads.  
And here's my real problem:  
Mr. Johns, blue-eyed devil.  
Planning on taking me back to slam...  
Only this time he picked a ghost lane.  
Long time between stops...  
Long time for something to go wrong..._

**0o0**

_"They say most of your brain shuts down in cryosleep.  
All but the primitive side...  
...The animal side.  
Is this my reason for still being awake...these past three years?"_

_"Assiel..."_

Came the soft whisper; which fluttered in the essence of her mind.  
A whisper not her own but another's; another in which she had known since she was a mere fledging.  
Shirah was her name.  
Her only company in this darkness which was her world.  
Her only friend...  
_"__Assiel_...it is almost time"

"Time for what Shirah…to die?" she asked a mere whisper

_"Far from it…his coming…"_

_"Doubt that will help my situation…" _She answered with humorless laughter in her voice

_"Be ready…"_

_"You and your riddles…Shirah…mildly amusing…" __Assiel_ answered

**0o0**

They all stood atop of the cargo hold of the crashed ship, one of many pieces overlooking the view of stark and unforgiving terrain.  
The valley floor was relieved by low hills to one side while spiked earthen spires stood on the other as three suns scorched down on everything.

"Interesting..." the first to speak was Johns; a merc who to everyone else was a cop. But only him and one other knew the truth of his identity. Holding a compass in his hands, Johns stared at the arrow spinning uncontrollably, sighing he looked up at the desert valley that stretched before him

"Anyone else having difficulty breathing...?" Paris an overfed, over groomed slim man in his forties or fifties asked as he turned to the other survivors

"Yeah...feel one lung short...All of us" Shazza; a woman who held a tough sexiness to her said a bit breathless as she stood next to her partner Zeke a good-looking strong male in his early forties

"So what the bloody hell happened?" Zeke asked

"Somethin' knocked us off-lane, maybe a rogue comet." Fry the new captain of the now crashed Hunter-Gratzner answered

"Well, I for one am thoroughly grateful. This beast wasn't made to land like this..." Shazza began as the others pitched in to thank Fry for her landing, though Johns only turned his head to the side, as if he knew something the others didn't.

He could hear their heartbeats; smell their scent as they spoke between themselves.  
The captain of the crashed ship stood far off in the corner staring in his direction, where  
Johns had cuffed him to an unstable metal beam

_"Unwise Johns…" _

"And him?" Fry asked, turning to Johns who walked in to join her as he leaned a hip against some broken metal

"Big Evil?"

"We just keep him locked up forever?"

"Well that'd be my choice...Already escaped once from the max-slam facility on-" Johns began

"I don't need his life story. Is he really that dangerous?" she asked as Johns gave her a small grin

"Only around humans"

**0o0**

Valerie turned to the computer screen to see the surveillance of the now

abandoned colony. It had been three years ago since their arrival on this god-forsaken planet and something had attacked and killed everyone, leaving no survivors only herself and Eric who had enclosed themselves in the lab. Luckily the lab held a pantry room, stocked with food and a bathroom just in case something like this would happen and they were to be stuck inside.

In all honesty Valerie never thought that they would be stranded on the planet for so long. After the attack they called for help and yet no one came...and she wondered about the colonists and how in only one night the colony could be turned into a ghost town. Yet when she presented these questions to Eric, he only shut her down; his voice now interrupted her train of thought

"Oh my beautiful, beautiful Assiel...how much you've grown" Eric whispered as he caressed a thick raven strand.

Walking up to the examination table to stand beside her collogue Eric; who was a tall slim man with graying blonde hair and light blue eyes resting on a slim face with a sharp pointed nose, in which his round glasses hung, she turned her attention to the young female laying on the table. Her skin was as alabaster as the moon, bringing out the rosiness of her cheeks and the redness of her cupid arrow lips, long thick eyelashes rested against her cheeks like crescent moons, her small nose brought out childish features as her heart-shaped face was surrounded by thick black hair, side bangs resting over her eyes giving attention to her fair eyebrows.  
Assiel was fifteen years old when she was brought to them by a merc named Toombs and the testing begun.  
She was the youngest convict to ever exist. Taken to Butcher Bay at the tender age of thirteen but escaped along with the infamous murderer Richard B. Riddick a man known to be "Death" himself. Eric, herself and a group of other scientists were working on the geno-morph program, using convicts on death row as experiments, but with each experiment they seemed to fail until Eric heard of Assiel's capture and immediately sent a word out, though Valerie objected to it since she was still a mere child, but Eric…Eric saw a difference in Elysium. She wasn't like any other human being and the tests performed on her proved his conclusions and theories correct. Her hearing, agility, strength, sight and among other things were far more powerful than that of a regular human, though the only conclusion that Eric was never able to prove was if she was a Furyan, a powerful race much stronger than that of any other but long since gone and the only one that held the answer was Assiel herself. Even though Valarie objected they went on ahead with the experiment and finally after so many experiment failures they had finally succeeded in creating the first Geno-morph.

Her body was covered by a thin clothe, as clear tubes which were connected to a machine just above them also connected to the computers; were embedded into her toned forearms and legs, the main one being embedded to the side of her skill near her temple.

"She has grown into a beautiful young woman" Valerie said watching Eric caress the girl's hair

"How is her progress?" he asked not taking his eyes off the sleeping girl

"Better than we could ever imagine"

"The first successful geno-morph...amazing isn't it Valerie...can you believe we have finally succeeded where millions of others have failed" Eric said proudly

"Yes" Valerie whispered as she turned again to the surveillance only this time she caught sight of a moving figure walking across the cam outside which was perched on the roof of the building they were in. Not believing her eyes Valerie walked up to the computer screen to take a closer look

"Eric..." Valerie called his name as he turned to the computers

_"Is there anyone here!?"_ came the voice of a woman

"Survivors?" Valerie asked as she turned to him

"Impossible...it has been three years, unless they heard our distress call" Eric answered

"We must let them know that we're here Eric, they may be our ticket out of here" Valarie said

"Turn the camera to the entrance of the lab, they will come to us" Eric instructed

**0o0**

As the scouting team explored some of the buildings of the ghost colony. Fry found the entrance to the lab in which Eric and Valerie were sealed in; located in one of the vacant rooms inside a home, where a model of the solar system stood on a table.

"Lights? Lights on" Fry spoke out loud though the command wasn't answered. Walking toward a window, Fry opened it.

The light brightened the room a bit, hitting the model and causing it to light on and move; grabbing Fry's attention she slowly walked over to the table to examine the model

"No darkness...no light because no darkness" she whispered as she turned to see the steel doors lay in the floor not too from the table.

Her curiosity overcoming her, Fry walked over and opened the doors revealing a darkened hallway.

Johns was the first one who walked down the stairs leading down to the hallway, while Fry held a flashlight for him, the others not too far behind

"Stay close" Johns whispered as he took lead and carefully walked down the steps, the light revealing the enormous steel doors, cameras on each side.

"What do you think could be behind those doors?" Fry asked

"Your guess is as good as mine...these are ten inch thick steel doors" Johns answered

"Maybe to keep something in?" Imam asked

"Or to keep something out" Johns finished

"Either way there's no getting inside..." he answered, turning around heading back up the stairs. Fry, Imam and his boys about to follow suit; though as they were about to head back up the stairs, the heavy doors began to groan as they slowly opened, causing everyone to jump and Johns to spin around, pointing his gun toward the entrance ready to shoot anything down.

The doors revealed a white room with computers and two people dressed in scientist lab coats standing before them as if they were waiting for their arrival.

Fry and Johns turned to face each other than to both scientists.

"Are you here to take us out of here?" Valerie asked

"No...our ship crashed landed not too far from here...where is everybody?" Fry asked

"We are not sure really, we arrived here three years ago soon after the attack began, we closed ourselves in here while the others went to the coring room" Eric explained

"Being locked in here is what saved us, but we don't know of the others...we think that after the attack they may have left" Valerie added

"Attack from who?" Johns asked

"That we do not know...all we know is that once it had become dark, the attacks began" Eric said as something caught Johns eye. Noticing a young woman lying on a examination table with tubes attached to her as she lay asleep or what seemed to be a coma,

"And what's all this?" Johns asked indicating to the computers and sleeping woman

"This is Assiel...the first geno-morph to exist" Eric said turning and walking over to the sleeping woman

"Geno-morph?" Johns asked taken by surprise

"Impossible..." Fry whispered

"And yet we have succeed where others have failed" Eric began but was interrupted when the sound of gunshots were heard over the surveillance camera. Johns and Fry turned to each other, breaking into a run out of the lab room

"Valerie stay here with Assiel" Eric instructed chasing after them

**0o0**

Riddick loped through the spires, turning a blind corner, only to have Johns trip him with his baton, turning on his back with flashing speed, Riddick tried to knock Johns over, only to have Johns rip his goggles from him, the light blinding him

"Same crap, different planet, huh?" Johns growled as he began beating Riddick with his baton, only to have Fry haul him off, though this time Shazza began her own personal beating

"What'd you do with'im? You bloody sick animal you, what'dja do with Zeke!" she screamed as Fry grabbed her by the waist

"Ease up, ease up…Shazza!" Fry exclaimed dragging her away.

After securing Riddick, Fry and Johns returned to the grave, examining the bloody hole as Johns took a look at Riddick's shiv

"He used that?" Fry asked

"Sir Shiv-a-lot. He likes to cut." Johns explained

"So why isn't it all bloody?"

"I assume he licked it clean"

Riddick sat against the wall of the crashed cargo, his arms chained to the side, his head bowed and eyes closed, listening to Fry's footsteps

"So where is the body?"

Not getting an answer Fry continued

"Wanna tell me about the sounds…Look you told Johns you heard something"

When no response was returned Fry grew impatient

"That's fine. You don't want to talk to me; that's your choice, but just so you know…there is a debate right now as to whether we should just leave you here to die" Fry said about to walk away only to be stopped by the heavy, rough set voice

"You mean the whispers?"

"What whispers?"

"The ones tellin' me to go for the sweet spot—just to the left of the spine, fourth lumbar down. The abdominal aorta.

Metallic taste to it, human blood.

Coppery.

But if you cut it with peppermint schnapps, that goes away quickley.

Course, that's more for winter.

Summertime…

I take mine straight" Riddick answered his eyes still closed, though he could smell her growing fear, listening to the loud beating of her heart increase

"Why don't we try the truth now?" Fry said, seeing a small grin appear on Riddick's chiseled features as he answered her question

"All you people are so scared of me-most days I take that as a compliment—but it ain't me you gotta worry about now."

"Show me your eyes Riddick"

"You gonna have to come a lot closer for that"

Her heart now beating faster than a Jackrabbit running for its life, Fry began to slowly approach Riddick, her throat dry, as she wiped her now sweaty hands on her trousers taking slow steps toward him, but immediately stops

"Closer…" Riddick's voice was a deep rumble causing her heart to leap in her throat as she closed in a bit more. And just as Riddick knew she was close enough, he leaped from his spot with blinding, dizzying speed causing Fry to jump back in fright.

It was as if a virgin were undressing in front of someone for the first time as he showed Fry his eyes which was startling.

There were no irises, just huge purple-pupils and from deep within, jewel like silver pools.

His eyes were as beautiful and unsettling as those of a starved jaguar.

"Where the hell can I get eyes like that?" Jack asked, Riddick's eyes turned to the kid, giving his eyes a mirror effect, his pupils disappearing beneath the pools of silver

"You gotta kill a few people"

"Kay I can do it"

"Then you gotta be sent to a slam where they tell you, you'll never see daylight again" Riddick explained turning his eyes back to Fry

"Take up a doctor…and you pay him twenty menthol cool to do a surgical shine job on your eyeballs"

"So you can see when you sneak up on them in the dark"

"Excatly"

"Leave…" Fry demanded as she turned to Jack

"Leave…" she said again, a bit gentler this time, Jack returned back upstairs

"Cute kid" Riddick answered giving Fry a side glance before sitting back down, his eyes glowing like a predator ready to pounce in the dark

"Did I kill a few people…Sure...did I kill Zeke…No…You got the wrong killer"

"His not in the hole…" Fry said

"Look deeper…" Riddick answered.

After a few minutes, Fry left the cargo hold, passing the doctor, who in turn walked in

"It is impossible for a patient to survive this 'shine-job' as you speak…Mr. Riddick" Eric said standing a safe distance from the murderer.

Riddick sniffed the air and noticed that this man wasn't part of the cargo

"That right?"

"Yes…I am a scientist myself…and I know that for a fact no one can survive this procedure in which you speak Mr. Riddick…now my curiosity is far too great…how did you get such magnificent eyes?" Eric asked

"Careful…Doc…sometimes…curiosity can be a real killer…" Riddick answered.

Not long after Riddick answered the question, he began yanking on his chains with his powerful arms, his glowing eyes shining in the darkness, causing the doctor to jump. Eric slowly backed away from the murderer only to hear silence once again; turning to face Riddick again Eric smiled as he began to wonder if Riddick was a match for his Assiel, leaving the cargo only to bump into Johns.

"Doc…what are you doing here?"

"Forgive for my intrusion, I had to see the one responsible for all the commotion. It's truly a surprise to see the one and only Riddick in person" Eric answered, Johns clenched his jaw as he walked past him

"Finally found somethin' worse than me, huh?"

"So here's the deal, you work without chains, without bit, and without shivs.

You do what I say, when I say it."

"For what? The honor of goin' back to some asshole of a cell…Fuck you"

"The truth is…I'm tired of chasing you" Johns answered, causing Riddick to turn his gaze to face Johns

"You saying…you cuttin' me loose?"

"I'm thinking you could of died in the crash"

"My recommendation do me. Don't take the chance that I'll get shiv-happy on your wannabe ass" Riddick answered

"Riddick—"

"Ghost me motherfucker, that's what I would to you" Riddick answered just as Johns took his gun out and shot Riddick.

Only this time instead of shooting Riddick he shot the chains. Dropping his arms to the side, Riddick turned to Johns slowly as the chains fell

"I want you to remember this moment. The way it could have gone, didn't. Here" Johns said handing him his goggles.

Just as Riddick reached out to take his goggles, he grabbed Johns gun instead and stood with flashing speed pointing the gun at him, his glowing eyes staring into Johns blue ones. For a moment Johns could only stare into Riddick's glowing orbs

"Rid—"

"FUCK YOU!" Riddick roared gripping the gun as the muscles beneath his golden skin moved

"Do we have a deal?" Johns asked

"I want you to remember this moment" Riddick whispered repeating Johns words as he threw the gun to the floor and yanked his goggles from his hand, leaving the cargo bay.

**0o0**

_"Assiel…wake up…"_ came Shirah's soft whisper

_"It is time…wake up now…"_

Without any warning, Assiel's eyes snapped open. A loud gasp escaped her lips as she arched her back and sat up slowly, feeling the pain in her legs, arms, and head, turning to see what was causing it, Assiel turned to the tubes embedded in her, shaking uncontrollably Assiel arched her neck she released another painful cry.

Valerie spun around to see Assiel wide awake as she took hold of the tubes and yanked them out from her legs, but before she was able to reach for the ones in her arms, Valerie leaped out of her chair and took ahold of Assiel which was a grave mistake as Valerie was no match for her. Assiel's animal reacted when she felt the weight of another holding her down and managed to break from the woman's grasp, throwing her across the room causing Valerie to crash into the computers and going back to yanking the tubes from her arms, her breathes shallow.

Valerie struggled to stand as she watched in a panic state as Assiel's fingers ran up to the side of her head, taking a hold of the last tubing she closed her eyes tight and released another high pitched scream as she yanked the last tube from her head. Throwing it on the floor she turned to the side, the thin clothe barely covering her as she slip off the bed and onto the freezing cold floor revealing her nakedness as she crawled backwards into a corner, her entire body shaking uncontrollably, her long thick raven-black hair caressed the white floor like a silken waterfall, her panic stricken eyes taking in her surroundings.

Forcing herself to stand Assiel all but did was fail as her wobbly legs gave out from under her, only she tried again, holding on to the wall for support Assiel allowed the trembles and spasms to subside for a moment, taking in deep breaths Assiel blinked a few times so that her sensitive eyes could adjust to the light, her eyes missing nothing and seeing everything down to the tiniest dust mites in the air. Forcing strength into her trembling body, Assiel forced herself to walk toward the entrance,

"What a shitty awakening…" Assiel whispered to no one in particular as she reached the hallway only to fall again, taking slow deep breaths she stood up once again and walked toward the stairs, existing the building

**0o0**

Eric returned with Fry and Johns to the lab only to see Valarie still on the floor and Assiel nowhere to be found.

"Valerie where is Assiel!?" Eric said shocked as he ran up toward the examination table as Fry and Johns went to go help her stand

"Are you alright?" Fry asked as the elderly woman shook beneath their grasp

"I'm fine…she woke up and ran out…I tried to stop her but I was no match for her…Eric she is much stronger than we could ever anticipate" Valerie said as she recovered quickly

"We must find her!" Eric exclaimed running back up the stairs

**0o0**

Jack gasped as Riddick yanked the dirty cover off the coring room hold, revealing his hide-out

"Missin' the party come on..." Riddick said going to rejoin the others, only to stop dead in his tracks as the sweet intoxicating scent of a un familiar female hit him dead on causing him to take a step back.

The scent stirring the animal inside him.

Turning to see Jack falling on his backside as he climbed down the roof of the coring room; observing his surroundings Riddick sniffed the air trying to see where the powerful scent was coming from, his eyes settling once again on the kid only to catch sight of his reaction as he recuperated from his fall, wiping his bottom and freezing as he stared over Riddick's board shoulder. Turning around Riddick saw a beautiful female; And not just any female…

She stood half naked, full firm breasts brought attention to her narrow rib-cage and wasp like waist, which was pretty much covered in nothing but a paper sheet that was clipped in place, though if a gust of wind were ever to blow in their direction it was sure enough to yank the material off which would give Riddick something to look forward too.

"Riddick…"


	2. Awake

**_Memory Lane_**

_"We're moving again. They just transmitted a safe route through the minefield." Johns informed as he sat across from Riddick who was strapped to his seat, metal beams locked around him incasing him, while other prisoners and their captors sat freely_

_"That minefield's offering better odds than you're gonna get takin' me to Butcher Bay…You think Hoxie's memory is that short?" Riddick asked, Johns leaned forward, elbows on knees_

_"He gets one look at you, Riddick, and all's forgiven. And I bank your bounty plus fifty…"_

_"…Plus fifty? Now come on, Johns…Greed is an ugly thing." Riddick answered_

_"You are in no position to negotiate, Riddick." Johns said as he began to feel turbulence just as a female voice came on the intercom_

_"We'll be landing at Butcher Bay in an…hour…Buckle up…Turbulence from an incoming sandstorm is expected…Hang on 'til we're through it."_

_"Oh yeah, I forgot you don't like this part…Statistically, landings are the most dangerous." Riddick said knowing Johns fear_

_"You've got nothing left to live for, Riddick. I do. Now shut up, would ya?" Johns answered a bit nervous and annoyed that Riddick knew his phobia_

_"You're already counting it. Aren't you?"_

_"I said shut up"_

_"Your funeral…"_

_Her red eyes watched silently, her gaze never once wavering from the infamous murderer, red orbs glowing like that of a predator, she was able to sense his animal stirring restlessly and wondered if he could sense hers. She got her answer shortly after, as his dark eyes opened turning to hers…_

_Riddick felt someone's gaze on him; most of the inmates had their heads down riding out the turbulence as he took in his surroundings when he caught a pair of glowing red orbs coming from a hooded figure, though the figure was easily hidden in the shadows of the ship. He could see and sense an animal within_

_"Rise and shine, jackass" came Johns voice as he opened the brackets which held Riddick into place_

_"Come on; don't act like you're asleep" _

_"It's time for you to earn me some money" Johns said pointing his gun at Riddick as he stood up slowly,_

_"You might want to be careful with that, Johns. You could hurt somebody." Riddick answered as he led him outside_

_"Butcher Bay. You know, you always take me to the nicest places, Johns." Riddick answered with a nod turning to see a merc stepping out of the ship with his prisoner, the hooded figure with the red glowing eyes turned to him, as Johns shoved him forward_

_"I hear the food's good as well. Can't say I'm gonna miss you, Riddick."_

_"Then don't" Riddick answered just as he saw the warden and two guards walking toward them_

_"…Ah Johns. Looks like that memory's still intact. He don't look all that happy to see you." Riddick said turning to Johns_

_"Hoxie's a businessman. Now, play nice and we can get this over with quickly." Johns answered, gun still pointed at Riddick_

_"It's already over, Johns." Riddick said as they stopped to face Hoxie and his guards along with the other merc and his mysterious prisoner_

_"Secure your weapon, Johns." Hoxie said_

_"Good to see you too, Warden" Johns said with a small laugh_

_"So, the famous mister Riddick…" Hoxie said walking up to him_

_"The Hox…"_

_"Finally come to stay, eh? Well, as of this moment Butcher Bay owns your ass…I own your ass." Hoxie said_

_"He's all yours once I sign him over, Hoxie." Johns answered_

_"You're not going to be a problem, are you, Riddick? 'Cause my boys and I like solving problems" Hoxie said pointing a finger at him_

_"Johns said you were ugly up close. For the first time, I gotta agree with him." Riddick answered as Hoxie chuckled_

_"Hmmm….Nice try."_

_"I do what I can"_

_"Already trying to get under my skin eh, Riddick?" Hoxie answered to his remark_

_"Be easier…If I had something sharp" Riddick answered_

_"Bounty plus fifty on Riddick. Right, Hoxie?" Johns asked_

_"I think Riddick about covers what you owe me, Johns."_

_"There's plenty of other slams I can take Riddick if you can't afford him" Johns said_

_"Alright, alright. Perhaps we can come to a number. But don't push it, Johns. Extra or no, Riddick stays at Butcher Bay. Period! Full stop!" Hoxie answered as he turned to the other merc and prisoner_

_"Now who do we have here?" he asked putting his hands behind his back just as the merc yanked the hood off, catching Riddick by surprise and normally that never happened as he saw a kid no more than thirteen years old, _

_"You've got to be fucking kidding me…" Johns said as he turned to the merc standing beside her_

_"Assiel Deimos…youngest convict to be caught…killed fifty people in one night…sir" the merc said turning to Hoxie_

_"Makes Riddick here look like a fucking saint…"_

_"Cute kid" Riddick said_

_"Yeah why am I not surprised that, that's coming from "Death" himself…hey who knows Riddick…she might even be your kid…wouldn't be surprised neither with all the shit she pulled" the merc added as he turned to the warden_

_"Well…well…well, it seems that today is Butcher Bay's lucky day than. Let's get them processed" Hoxie said as they lead both prisoners toward the entrance of Butcher Bay_

_"Johns…Better luck next time" Riddick said over his shoulder as he walked beside the girl, catching her scent, which was the sweet smell of cocoanut and vanilla, locking it in his mind for when he had to track her down_

_"Prisoners walking!" the head guard named Abbott called out_

_"Pay attention, punk! You are now Butcher Bay prisoner 5421135-2. Remember your number" Abbott said as Riddick listened to the other guard repeating the same to the young girl only a different number_

_"Remember the rules. My rules. Now listen, there is no outside at Butcher's, just a whole planet of desert. So check those desires right now, because you will not get out. No one has, no one ever will." Abbott explained as Riddick turned to the girl who gave him a side glance along with a small grin, indicating like him that she was already planning something.  
The doors to Butcher Bay opened as Abbott and the other guard led them inside. Another guard stood in the center, two signs reading Cellblock A and B with arrows pointing in opposite directions_

_"Okay, close the gate" Abbott commanded as he led them down the corridor of Cellblock A, stopping at_

_two gates_

_"Hey Abbott! When you've dropped that fish into his new tank, we gotta talk. It's 'bout the Aquilas." A guard said grabbing his attention_

_"Don't worry. I got Rust by the balls. You'll get your share, Cyrus." Abbott answered as the second gate opened, continuing their walk to their cells_

_"Hey what are you bringing to us?"_

_"Name's Riddick. Thinks his shit don't stink"_

_"Thee Riddick?" the prisoner said in disbelief_

_"ohhhh…hey who's the princess…hey beautiful" another prisoner said, staring at the kid_

_"Get the fuck back to your cell, Jack!" Abbott commanded as other mummers from different prisoners continued, stopping at a cell block, the metal door slid open_

_"This is your hole. It's time for us to delouse your filthy ass. Don't breathe." Abbott instructed as Riddick walked inside, turning to face them_

_"Alright princess follow me" Abbott said as the door shut, but not before the girl gave Riddick another smile, giving him a steady gaze with those bright red eyes._

* * *

"Riddick…" Assiel greeted

He hadn't seen that face in over five years, never forgetting those almond shaped eyes which had the same mirror effect as his own, becoming silver red pools when she turned her attention to something or someone, it was always her eyes that intrigued him the most, the color of blood…his favorite; though five years ago she was a thirteen year old kid who went through a lot and even stuck her neck out more times than he could count for him, going as far as to risking her own life. A murderer like him didn't deserve that kind of loyalty from anyone, he didn't ask for it nor wanted it; least of all her but still she gave it to him…But her reasons were her own and he left it at that. After the events of Athena they had gone their separate ways, he thought he could easily forget her, just like all the others who came across him that didn't meet the end of his shivs, but as the years passed, he found himself thinking about her most days.  
Her scent was strong, still the same soft fragrance of vanilla and coconut which caused him to growl as his animal stirred. Time passed…people changed and now the kid he had allowed himself to care for all those years ago was gone and in her place was a grown woman and this time he didn't see her in the same light.  
And with her bit of clothing, his thoughts ran south and into more dangerous territory and from the change of her scent she wasn't too far off from thinking the same thing about him.

"What…? No kiss?" she asked as she walked over to stand in front of him. At her simple question, Riddick's eyes roamed over her cupid arrow lips, causing him to lean closer. Hovering over her

"Mmmm….later…Run out of clothes…?" he asked, as she looked down at her barely there wardrobe, causing another whiff of her scent to hit him, his nostrils flared taking in her intoxicating smell, that had his animal wanting for more

"Long story…and from the looks of it…we won't have time to catch up" Assiel said crossing her arms over her chest.

Jack stood gaping at the beautiful young woman, who stood in front of Riddick,

"Hey…I-I know you…your Assiel…youngest convict to ever exist on record…" Assiel turned to the kid who stood there not too far from Riddick, noticing the goggles and shaved head, Assiel turned back to face him

"Fan…?" she asked

"Keep those lips warm for me…" Riddick answered causing her to raise an eyebrow when suddenly the familiar smell of the woman back at the lab invaded her senses as they both turned around to face the female doctor along with another. Assiel immediately remembered the bastard from three years ago when she was taken in by that spineless idiot Toombs who captured her…A mistake on her part and one she won't be making again, that's if she got off this damn planet.  
Eric was his name, the scientist doc who had conducted all those tests and the wench standing beside him, she remembered her being called Valerie. She for one; wasn't much for being someone's lab rat and didn't like being fucked with, for a moment she thought of killing him and his bitch assistant now and save herself the trouble. But something told her that it was going to get a lot more interesting when the suns go down

"Assiel my dear girl..." the man standing beside the female doctor said as he marveled at her as if she were the most precious important thing there was to ever exist, taking a step toward her

"Suggest you keep your distance…Doc, not much for playing the lab rat" Assiel warned giving Riddick a small indication of what really happened to her

"I've brought you clothes…" Valerie said holding a black bag out to her. Walking over to the doc Assiel took the bag from her grasp;

"Don't think that this small gesture will have me forget what you did" Assiel warned as she walked past them to go find a private place to change, a smile creeping up on her as she felt Riddick's eyes on her back or more likely her backside, having a feeling that he was enjoying the view as she departed. She turned back to face Riddick, giving him a devilish smile before winking at him as she disappeared off into one of the buildings.  
Knowing he was in on their little game.

Assiel never imagined that she would see Riddick again, though he remained in her thoughts and sometimes appearing in her dreams. She wondered if he ever thought about her. She knew though that they had taken a little piece of each other when they parted ways that day.

"You knew he was coming didn't you...Shirah? The answer to your riddle" Assiel asked

_"Yes..."_ came her soft answer as Assiel shook her head, walking inside a building and finding a room which looked like it was a child's room; Assiel threw the bag on the bed causing dust to blow up into the air as she ripped the paper sheet off herself. She stood naked as she made a grab for the bag, taking out white lingerie that would have Riddick's approval and a pair of black cargos and a black dot baby doll top that had a deep u-shaped cut in front, while the back was open, strings crisscrossed molding the top to her body; it was her style and a good wear in this scorching weather, clipping the belt buckles of her combat boots securely, she than strapped her forearm bracers, adding the finishing touches by tying her long thick hair into a side braid. Satisfied Assiel left the room, walking back outside into the hot sun; the coolness of the air leaving as the heat showed its ugly head. Sighing she turned to welcome the others with her presence when she caught the scent of the kid who was actually a girl pulling off to be a boy as Assiel scented her cycle was just about around the corner

"You following me kid?" she asked as she turned to face Jack, who looked a bit nervous

"Um…I-I thought you didn't know where we were so…I-"

"Making sure I didn't get lost…? How sweet" Assiel said as she approached the kid

"Nice goggles…" she added, causing the kid to grin, happy to know she thought so.

"All praises be Allah, for his many blessings to us." Imam said just as Assiel and Jack entered the room. Jack was the first one to come in, grabbing everyone's attention with her new look as she placed her goggles on her head and grabbed a glass of water before looking up to see everyone staring at her while Fry gave her a motherly sort of look

"What?" she said taking a sip

"It's the winner of the look-alike contest." Paris said pointing his finger as Assiel chose a corner to stand. Though the moment she walked in she felt Riddick's eyes on her among other curious gazes, but it was his that had her bursting up into flames and her animal stirring for attention he'd probably be happy to give if it weren't for the small audience.

"So you're the geno-morph" Shazza said as Assiel turned to her than to Valarie and Eric who were sitting in chairs across the room

"You been talking about me…for smart docs that's not a very smart thing to do…than again you haven't been making the right decisions lately now have you" Assiel said turning to observe the rest of the faces in the room, stopping when she noticed, a male with short wavy red blonde hair and blue eyes

"Johns…blue-eyed devil…Can't be a party without you and Riddick in the same room huh?" Assiel said as she turned to Riddick

"I guess we both have a story to tell"

Johns suddenly recognized her as the kid who helped him and Riddick escape Hoxie

"I'll be damned…Assiel" Johns whispered noticing that she grew up into an attractive woman.

Assiel turned to an elderly holy man as he approached her

"Greetings I am Imam" he introduced, she smiled sensing that he was a kind man and was one with God,

"How did you wind up with these two?" Johns asked

"I could ask the same question…Johns…" Assiel said turning to the holy man who was apparently looking for someone now; a look of worry on his face as he left the building to search some more

"As much as I love introductions…what happened here?" Paris asked the million dollar question

"Nice of them to leave so much stuff here; why they leave their ship?" Fry asked

"It's not a ship. It's skiff and it's disposable" Johns answered as he turned to both scientists

"Mind letting us in on what went on here?" he asked

"A group of geologists who move from rock to rock, they came here twenty-two years ago and settled here, three years ago, we landed here to continue our geno-morph project. One day we were doing our regular routines when everything went to hell and something began attacking the colony, right after an eclipse began. We locked ourselves in the lab and been there ever since" Eric explained

"We sent out help singles but no one answered…" Valerie added but before words were exchanged more on the subject, Imam barged back into the room in a state of panic

"Has anyone seen the little one? Ali?"

"Has anyone checked the coring room?" Riddick said giving a hint of where the kid might be, but before they could go search, they heard screaming coming from the room, immediately everyone was out of their chairs and running out the building, leaving Assiel alone with Riddick.  
Taking the opportunity Riddick approached her, placing both hands on each side of her head as he hovered over her

"My curiosity is getting the best of me…but how did you get caught by Johns? Last I remember, we disappeared after Dark Athena, leaving him in the dust" Assiel asked listening to Riddick's low growls as he ran his nose down the length of her neck, taking in her scent

"Curiosity…never really a good thing…" Riddick whispered

"And you were some scientists play thing…" he added, their lips inches away, Assiel smiled

"Mistake…it seems on both our parts…" Assiel whispered skimming her lips over his before ducking and leaving him hanging. Riddick growled as he watched her escape, her laughter in the air as she followed the others.


End file.
